Baby Steps
by Forever Siriusly Sirius
Summary: A drabble collection written for HPFC's 'T.V Title Challenge.' Remus helped James come up with a James-proof plan to get Lily to lie him-Operation 'Baby Steps.' Otherwise known as 'Operation Get-Lily-To-Say-Yes' by Sirius. James/Lily 7th year. humour/sweet moments/romance. watch James's journey through his 7th year!
1. Phase 1: Call Evans 'Lily'

Written for HPFC's "T.V Title Prompts." Challenge.

Pairing: Lily/James

Prompt: 'Baby Steps'

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James had a plan. He called it "Baby Steps." Sirius dubbed it "Operation make Lily Evans say 'yes'." Remus came up with it, he even listed all the phases. Peter was just happy to be included.

Phase 1: Call Evans' Lily.

James saw her in the Heads common room on saturday afternoon, she was curled up in the crimson red couch reading her new book. He smiled. Time to put the plan in action.

He hastily ran his hand through his unruly hair, a nervous habit of his. He winced when he heard the door slam behind him, he'd forgotten to close it.

He saw her head rise up and look around for the source of the noise. The feel of her eyes on him jolted James back to reality.

He calmly began walking past her, pausing for a second in front of her.

"Hello Lily." He said before walking the rest of the way to his room.

Operation Baby Steps, phase 1 complete.

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To be continued :)

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	2. Phase 2 Have a conversation

**Phase 2: Have a 'Conversation' **

"Now what?" James asked his fellow Marauders.

"Now what what?" Remus countered, confused.

"Well, I called her Lily, like you said. What's next?" James was eager to begin 'Phase 2.'

Any improvement, no matter how small, was still an improvement. Even if it was something as insignificant as Lily calling James 'James' not 'Potter'.

"Talk to her." Remus offered.

"Tried that," James said dismissively. "She just gets mad. She even slapped me once. Padfoot has the pictures to prove it!"

Sirius nodded in agreement.

Remus groaned and hung his head in his hands out of frustration.

"No, you asked her out. There's a difference. Try having a _conversation_." Remus sighed.

"A conversation?" James couldn't believe it.

"Yes James. A conversation." Remus said patronizingly like he was talking to a small child.

"As in, no asking her out?" James asked incredulously.

Remus sighed again, this was harder then he thought.

"Yes, James. No asking her out." Sirius had to refrain from laughing at James's shocked expression.

James gulped. This wouldn't be easy.

* * *

**Operation Baby Steps.**

Once again, James found Lily curled up in her favourite chair by the fire reading.

"No asking her out; No asking her out..." James quietly repeated his mantra in his head over and over again as he tried to figure out the best way to have a 'conversation' with Lily.

His problem was solved when Lily looked up and smiled at him.

He sat down beside her and asked her what book she was reading, to which she raised an eyebrow but answered anyway.

"I'm pretty sure you wont know it, but it's called The Crucible by a guy called Arthur Miller."

"Ah, now Lily that is where you are wrong." James grinned, some of his confidence returning.

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow in disbelief.

"Fine, then what's it about?"

Now James was stuck. He did actually know the book- Remus had talked about it often, it was just that he couldn't remember anything from it.

Lily sighed. She probably thinks I'm was lying James thought miserably.

Suddenly he remembered something.

"It's about witches isn't it? In America?"

Lily laughed, shocked that James was actually telling the truth.

"What, you didn't think i was lying did you?" He asked teasingly.

She gave him a sheepish smile.

He checked his watch, he excused himself because it was late and he had Quidittch in the morning.

"You'll come wont you? To the game?" He asked tentatively, expecting to get his hopes crushed.

She surprised both of the when she agreed. James's smile widened.

He got up to go.

"That's it?"

Now James looked confused.

"No- No asking me out or anything?"

"Is it that hard to believe that I've changed?"

She didn't respond, she bit her lip nervously.

James shook his head smiling.

"Night Lily." He said.

"Night James." She called back softly.

Operation Baby Steps Phase 2 complete.

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Please Review! Hope you liked it.

Lizy

Xx


	3. Phase 3: Earn Lily's respect

Operation Baby Steps Phase 3: Earn Lily's respect.

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"What's this? James Potter actually disciplining people?" she asked, astounded.

James Potter, Head Boy, prankster extraordinaire, just gave his two best friends detention for being out after hours.

He looked hurt. "There is a reason I was selected for Head Boy you know, Lily. I am actually capable of enforcing the rules."

She looked at him as if seeing him again for the first time in a new light. It almost looked as if she respected him. Almost.

"But your own best friends? Sirius and Peter? I thought you would've, I don't know, turned a blind eye or something."

He looked at her long and hard, with steel in his eyes. "That's all everybody expects from me isn't it? That I'll let people get away with things, that I'll abuse the power of this badge and turn a blind eye." He shook his head. "Dumbledore chose me for a reason. I am determined to prove to everybody that he was right in choosing me; I will make a good Head Boy. Everybody includes you, Lily."

He walked on ahead leaving a stunned Lily in his wake.

"James, wait." He paused, allowing Lily time to catch up. "I'm sorry for doubting you."

He shook his head. "You're not the only one, Lily. Besides, it's not like I gave everybody a real reason to believe that I would be capable of leading an entire school of people," he said bitterly.

"That's not true, you know. Yes, you pranked; and even though you don't take school seriously, you still get top grades. Plus the way you look after your friends when they're in trouble? You would die for them James. Everybody knows that. Heck, you made Quidditch Captain! You have to be more than a great player to land that position, James; and you know it. You're a better leader than you give yourself credit for. For what it's worth, I think you could do anything you wanted, if you put your mind to it. That includes being the best Head Boy Hogwarts has ever seen," she said passionately, determined to make James see what she could see.

He looked at her and smiled; a big genuine smile. Not a smirk, not a grin, a smile. And she smiled back.

"We're in this together then, aren't we Lils?" She smiled bigger.

"We're in this together."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

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Operation Baby Steps Phase 3 complete.

My Beta is a miracle worker and deserves an Order of Merlin. I would be lost without you Martian Goddess :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	4. Phase 4: Earn Lilys Trust

Kudos out to those clever readers who realized that Sirius and Peter being out after curfew on James and Lily's patrol was more than an innocent coincidence :)

Merry early christmas Andie (fading colors) enjoy! Its angsty/humour :) This ones for you.

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**Operation Baby Steps Phase Four: Earn Lily's Trust**.

They were eating in Great Hall when the letter came.

"James, are you honestly trying to tell me that Sirius and Peter just so happened to be in the corridor, after curfew, on our patrol and conveniently you just so happened to see them and give them a detention?" Lily asked skeptically raising an eyebrow.

James feigned innocence. "Really Lily, do you think I would go to that much trouble only to let my best mates defeat my impressive detention record?"

Sirius gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like "Whipped," while at the same time Remus coughed "Yes." Peter sniggered.

James scowled at his supposed 'best mates,' before huffily turning back to Lily.

Suddenly the owls arrived dropping off packages or letters to various people in the Great Hall. Lily got one. He used her being distracted as a means to covertly elbow Sirius in the ribs, hard.

"I am not whipped!"

"Mate, you gave me, me, your best mate, partner in crime, the Batman to your Robin -"

"Oi, who made you batman?"

"I've got the looks for it don't I? Tall, dark and handsome?" Sirius winked at a passing by girl and she swooned. He called her over.

"Hey, Celeste right? Who do you think makes a better Batman? Me or him?" Sirius jerked a thumb in James's direction.

The dark haired girl giggled as she pointed at Sirius, he winked at her as she sauntered off.

"Cheat," James muttered under his breath. Sirius chose to ignore it.

"Now," Sirius started, "About you being whipped..."

James looked up, "Where'd Lily go?" He asked Remus, frowning.

"Naww, Little Jamsie Poo can't find the love of his life, Ickle widdle Lilykins. How tragic. How will he ever survive!" Sirius placed a hand over his heart dramatically.

"What'd you reckon Wormy, think Jimmy Jams here can make it through breakfast without dying?"

Even Remus had to stifle a laugh at that one even though he gave his all to attempting to appear disapproving.

James ignored his friends teasing and abruptly stood up, determined to find out why Lily had left the Hall without saying anything.

He pulled the map out of his pockets and located Lily in some corridor near the kitchens.

Soft sobs alerted him to her presence near by. She was slumped against the wall, head in her hands with shoulders that weren't shaking because of laughter.

Cautiously he approached her, wary of her wand which was conveniently in reach. Just because she'd hardly hexed him at all that year didn't mean that she wouldn't.

'Lils?' He called softly

She buried her head deeper into her arms. "If you're here to mock me for crying then kindly shove off."

"Do you really think that little of me, Lily?"

She looked up startled, her beautiful face stained with fresh tears.

She opened her mouth and then closed it. She promptly shook her head.

"I-I I'm sorry, I just...promise you won't tell anyone?"

She looked at him with such sad eyes that he couldn't help but agree.

He slid down the wall next to her as she started talking.

"My sister's getting married this summer, her fiancés an absolute git, I swear he looks like an overgrown ape with a pig for a face and Merlin he's so bloody obnoxious! All he does is show off about his stupid bloody business, and his car, and all that rubbish that no one cares about except Petunia - that's my sister you know- and Merlin I hate him but the feelings mutual so thats ok. The last time I saw him, he asked me about my mental heath. Apparently, my darling sister conveniently told him and his pig faced family that I am 'mentally challenged' and 'have anger issues' so apparently when I'm at Hogwarts she tells him I'm in a mental institution! Like for crazy people."

She sniffed continued softly. "She thinks I'm crazy because I have magic. She thinks I need 'help' and she doesn't understand that there is a whole life for me here, in the magical world. She thinks that once I graduate Hogwarts that'll be the end of my 'weirdness' like it was must a phase. You know she calls me a freak every time she sees me?"

James shook his head. He hadn't known, and it honestly made him realize how ignorant he was of Muggle Borns. He hadn't realized that Muggles could treat them just as badly as those Wizards and Witches who believed in the pureblood mania stuff.

It was almost like they were in Limbo, he mused, never fully belonging in either world.

"What?" Lily asked softly, and he realized he must have been staring.

He smiled, "Nothing really, so what was in the letter?"

"She wants me out of the wedding. Originally I was going to be maid of honour and now not only can I not be in it anymore, but she won't even let me come. She scheduled it right in the middle of our exams to make sure I can't go so I won't 'corrupt' anybody and 'ruin her special day'. She really hates me, its final now, she genuinely hates me."

By this point they had both unconsciously moved closer to each other, their thighs touching.

"You wanna know what I think?" At Lily's nod he continued. "I think you sister is, no offense, a jealous cow. She only hates magic because it was you who was magical, not her. She picked probably the most ordinary, non-magical guy possible to convince herself that her life, without magic, is better than yours with magic. It's all because she's jealous." James shrugged, "Well that's my two sickles."

Lily gave a watery laugh. "You know you're not too bad, Potter."

He smiled.

"You aren't too bad yourself, Evans."

**Operation Baby Steps Phase 4: Earn Lily's trust, complete**.


	5. Phase 5: Be Lily's Friend

Operation Baby Steps Phase 5: Be Lily's friend.

James was on his way to the shared Head's common room when he saw Lily struggling to carry a mountain load of books.

He grinned when he saw her, it was the weekend so she was in muggle clothing and her hair was loose over her shoulders. James thought she had never looked prettier.

"Alright there, Evans?"

She glared at him.

"Does it look like I'm alright, Potter? Honestly it's the weekend and Professor McGonagall gave me all these bloody books. Half of them I have to return to the library, and the other half have to go to Professor Flitwick. Merlin knows how she expected me to carry them all. Honestly they weigh a ton! How I haven't dropped them all is beyond me..."

Something had changed between them since Lily had told James all about Petunia. He didn't exactly know if they were considered 'friends' but he knew for certain that they were no longer just mere coworkers.

Suddenly James, without knowing why, grabbed half the books off Lily's pile, much to her astonishment.

He grinned.

"What are you doing?"

"Does this half go to the library or to Flitwick?"

Lily's eyes widened. "Flitwick, they're charms books...please don't tell me you're going to run off with them and use them for your latest prank?"

James' grin widened and he winked, "Now now Evans, can't a bloke just do something nice for a friend without being accused of committing Maraudery?"

She still didn't look convinced, "Maraudery? James that isn't even a word."

"Of course it is! Maraudery- the art of pranking, causing chaos and or mischief, and anything and everything related or pertaining to the Marauder's- that is, Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs. To you commoners out there that is Remus, Peter, Sirius and of course myself."

"Right, if you say so...and since when are we friends?"

"Since I said so. I solemnly swear that I will return these books to Professor Flitwick, whether or not you become an accomplice to an act of Maraudery by allowing me access to these books is yet to be determined."

Lily smiled, "Friends it is then. Also, whatever prank you're planning, keep me out of it."

"Suit yourself, but this one will be epic. I guarantee it!"

He laughed as he saw her roll eyes, before flashing him a smile and heading off towards the library.

He watched her leave, before she turned around and yelled, "Well? Are you coming?"

He didn't even need think twice before running to catch up with her.

Operation Baby Steps phase 5: Be Lily's Friend, complete.


End file.
